Bringing children to a hair salon

Lopsy

Hi Everyone.

This is my first post here. I'm just looking for some advice. I have a small hair salon and I work on my own. Lately I'm getting a bit fed up of people bringing their children with them for colour appointments which would be at least 2hours long.

They are basically just leaving them run riot and do what they want. It results in me having to keep an eye on them at all times while Mum sits, reads magazines and drinks coffee. I'm afraid that they will pick up a scissors, burn themselves on a straightener or curler or even have a reaction to the colour. Last week a mother brought her 2 year old and sat him on her lap while I applied her colour, when her colour was on the child put his hand straight to her head and into the colour! I panicked, she just laughed but I'm sure it would have been different if he'd have had a reaction!

Does anyone have any advice with how I can stop this??
Thanks all

R.D. aka MR.D

Have you tried asking the parents to mind their children?

I think the only thing you can do is announce a new policy. Put it on your facebook page and put a sign up in the shop. Phrase it in such a way that it implies there was an incident and unfortunately children are no longer allowed to accompany parents while they get colouring treatments. If people ask you for details then say 'I can't discuss it in detail but as a small business owner I have to protect myself'.

You might have to allow a transition period where they will bring the children and you can say 'I'll allow it this once but if he/she comes next time unfortunately I won't be able to complete the treatment'. hmmmm and haw about it for a while and make them feel like you're doing them a favour.

You might lose some business but you will also gain some peace of mind.

Lopsy

Thanks for your advice.
I will try that. I think a lot of them think that because I work on my own that I wont mind but I have enough to be doing, I'm not going to be a babysitter too.

Other clients have also commented that its unfair as they have paid to have their children minded while they came for their appointment and they shouldn't have to listen or deal with other peoples kids. I completely understand this, getting your hair done is supposed to be a relaxing experience!

Cork Lass

Firstly, welcome to Boards.ie.

I am a mom and have never brought my children to the hairdresser unless they were having their own hair cut. It's not the place for them to be running around. If that child had rubbed their eyes after putting their hands into the colour solution I'm sure it would have been a different story altogether. Could you cite health and safety as a reason for not having them in the salon. As the previous poster said, you might lose some business initially but in the long run you'll lose more by having kids running around. It's not conjucive to the relaxing time a person should have at the hairdressers. Good luck.

Birdsong

Definitely would turn me off a hairdressers if there are kids there. I wouldn't be back. So you might gain customers from the likes of me!

the_pen_turner

if it was me i wouldnt lay down the law. that will only piss off the customers. they never see that little johny isa spoilt brat , all they see is their angel.


i would try to move the business in one of 2 ways

1. make the place child friendly with a play area and safe zones etc. advertise the place acordingly and aim for the parents that have to pay to have the kids looked after

2. make the place a total relaxatipn zone . a place to escape to. really luxurios design , relaxing mesic, spa type feel. market the experiance as an escape from the kids and lifes troubles

nikpmup

Birdsong wrote: »

Definitely would turn me off a hairdressers if there are kids there. I wouldn't be back. So you might gain customers from the likes of me!

^^^ this, with bells on. The couple of hours it takes to get my hair done once every couple of months is the only time I get completely to myself without my 3yr old swinging out of me. If someone else's 3yr old was getting in the way of that I'd go elsewhere. I agree that making a new policy with vague references to health &safety is probably the way to go.

December2012

"For insurance reasons children can only be on the premises during their own designated appointments".

Del2005

the_pen_turner wrote: »

if it was me i wouldnt lay down the law. that will only piss off the customers. they never see that little johny isa spoilt brat , all they see is their angel.


i would try to move the business in one of 2 ways

1. make the place child friendly with a play area and safe zones etc. advertise the place acordingly and aim for the parents that have to pay to have the kids looked after

2. make the place a total relaxatipn zone . a place to escape to. really luxurios design , relaxing mesic, spa type feel. market the experiance as an escape from the kids and lifes troubles

Point 1 and 2 contradict each other.


The OP works on their own so they can't have a child friendly area as that would require supervision, they don't want to be doing that and hair at the same time,

Lopsy

Thanks for all the responses. I completely agree with you all. I wouldn't want to go to the hairdressers if there were children running around. When some people arrive with their kids I actually get anxiety because they are so badly behaved and I know I'm going to have a stressful couple of hours.

One lady last week brought her two kids and they hadn't even their bums in the chairs and she asked me for the WiFi code and asked me to change the channel on my TV to cartoons for them!

I don't have kids myself but some people would turn me off having them!

davindub

Common problem unfortunately, you see it a lot in cafes, leisure clubs, etc, parents allow the kids to run riot. We had a stairs where I worked, I was always bringing kids down who were too young to do it themselves, once the same kids got up there twice more after being brought back to the parents and explained patiently the dangers. The third time one of the kids fell head over heals down the stairs. Child was thankfully ok, but I should have asked them to leave the second time it happened.

Put up your signs, say you were warned by your insurance company and say you agree, hot hairdryers, sharp scissors, sharp edges, sometimes low sockets, moving mechanical chairs, mean kids need very close minding, i.e. on parents lap at all times, not left to fend for themselves when parent is having hair cut. Hopefully most of your customers agree.

the_pen_turner

Del2005 wrote: »

Point 1 and 2 contradict each other.


The OP works on their own so they can't have a child friendly area as that would require supervision, they don't want to be doing that and hair at the same time,

how do they contradict each other. .
you can only choose one option.


i have seen child areas in a few places similar to hairdressers(but not in a hairdressers) that are layed ut in a way to keep an eye on the area. such as having the area infront of the worker and not behind like most hair dressers

Del2005

the_pen_turner wrote: »

how do they contradict each other. .
you can only choose one option.


i have seen child areas in a few places similar to hairdressers(but not in a hairdressers) that are layed ut in a way to keep an eye on the area. such as having the area infront of the worker and not behind like most hair dressers

Missed the line above the 2 options, gotta stop spread reading before replying.

Mrs OBumble

What does your public liability insurance say about the topic? I'm surprised hey haven't banned kids from the start.

It wasnt me123

I would make up an "accident" to a child of a client and say your insurance just won't cover you and if you have a landlord (if you don't have your own premises), say your lease forbids it as well. Make out its PC/Health & Safety gone mad, ie. its not your fault, you love having the little angels running around, the more the better, but they'll close you down unless you adhere to your insurance/landlord rules - don't explain who "they" are. Make a list and put next to the phone - when the mummies phone for another appointment, explain the above, that unfortunately you are unable to have children on the premises, unless they are clients. Keep blaming "them/landlord/anyone but you" and emphasise how relaxing it will be for the mums when they can have 2 hours to themselves. I would also put up discreet and polite signs confirming that unfortunately unsupervised children are not allowed due to "government restrictions" when working with chemicals, sharp implements and hot equipment (or something equally oblique that blames something/someone else and not you, cos you just love their kids). You could also quietly "blame" your elderly clients (wink and nudge) who were anxious around small active children, or wanted to watch their own programs in peace. Stick to your guns, make up the lie to suit the circumstance but if you make the "lie" general enough, when the ladies chat between themselves, they'll all be sprouting the same lie you've told them - Chinese whispers, they will all believe it. Good luck

Sorry about the length of this, I got carried away!

duploelabs

Just say that kids aren't allowed on the premises due to insurance reasons, however see if you can get a contra deal going with the local kids play cafe like Funky Monkey or Zoom

uck51js9zml2yt

Whatever you do, don't say there was an accident.
Just say for insurance purposes you can't have kids who are not clients.
If anyone asks, you changed insurers due to spiraling costs and this is a stipulation.
A polite notice at the entrance to the shop and on your website/ Facebook page if you have one.
As was said , note who brings kids and tell them when booking. If they bring kids just say they can't stay and stick with it.
It's a workplace not a play area with sharp implements and chemicals.

seamus

Lucy Sweet Kid wrote: »

Whatever you do, don't say there was an accident.
Just say for insurance purposes you can't have kids who are not clients.

Agreed. There'll always be a nosey busybody who'll want the full story out of you. It will reflect badly on you.

There was no incident, but you had been talking to your insurer who confirmed that you wouldn't be covered if a child injured themselves during their parents' appointment.

You will possibly lose one or two clients over it; chances are they're a pain in the hole anyway.

You tend to find that the clients who take liberties in your business, do so in every aspect - not just with kids running around, but trying to negotiate prices down, book themselves in at the last minute or mysteriously "forgetting" their purse and leaving you out of pocket until their next appointment.
As a business you can do without these timesinks.

infogiver

I work in a public office and it's not unusual for customers to ask the receptionist, who is very busy all the time, to "throw your eye" on the children, including babies in prams, while the parents conduct their business, often in a separate room.
Toddlers want immediate access to office equipment so they can stick their tiny pudgy fingers in sockets etc.
Older children decide to rearrange booklet, leaflet displays and suddenly become delirious with thirst when the spot the water dispenser
We just put up signs everywhere and the receptionist was instructed to be firm about telling customers that they must supervise their own children or leave and come back another day.

GalwayGrrrrrl

If I went to a salon with kids running around I wouldn't stay and I definitely would not make another appointment. For every customer with loose children that you might lose, you'll probably gain a handful of new clients who leave their kids at home. I agree with the "blame health and safety" strategy - aim to be kid free by Christmas

Lopsy

Thanks so much everyone. Enjoyed reading all the feedback! Some of ye have obviously had similar experiences as me. I'm just extremely frustrated about it. I've made a list of all your points and will be wording a notice to pop onto my social media, website and in my salon. I'll await the tuts and disapproval from all the mothers!

Birdsong

Lopsy wrote: »

Thanks so much everyone. Enjoyed reading all the feedback! Some of ye have obviously had similar experiences as me. I'm just extremely frustrated about it. I've made a list of all your points and will be wording a notice to pop onto my social media, website and in my salon. I'll await the tuts and disapproval from all the mothers!

I do think you will gain other customers, because like the previous poster I would have ran a mile from your salon no matter how good a hairdresser you were

I go to the hairdresser for a bit of me time and pampering. If kids were let run amok, I'd avoid that salon. Inconsiderate parents really pee me off. Go ahead with your sign. Let us know how it works out, but I'd be amazed if you lst any custom over it.

Pawwed Rig

People ignore signs unless they know that the proprietor actually enforces it. So.OP you may need to be prepared for some level of confrontation.

infogiver

Just to reiterate Lopsy
When I go for a cut and colour it's a guilt free sit down
I love being handed my lovely coffee made with milk and leafing through a Bella without thinking I really should be doing something else
If I had Faolain and Eabha running around screeching I would never darken your door again and that's a fact
Make signs, steal the HSA website logo stick them up, and when the offenders next ring for an appointment take a deep breath and be perfectly clear that you will be delighted to see her again but this time and in future small children cannot be accommodated in the salon under any circumstances
If she takes umbrage then that's her problem
Let it go

amtc

I was in milanos on my own the other day and had magazine to read. Waitress showed me to nice table but beside 3 children. It was lunchtime and children are entitled to eat but I asked to sit elsewhere. In a hair salon....definitely not... where I go there is a sign not allowing children

EQR

I wouldn't allude to a fake previous accident as you don't want people to think you have had accidents on premises. Instead a polite text / email to regular clients explaining that for health and safety reasons young children are not allowed on the premises with clients should do the trick. yes, you might lose a client or two over it if they have a hissy fit but you would lose a lot more if one of their unsupervised kids injured themselves sin your salon and they sued you